Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 5010LCD 3D 1080p Projector

The Home Cinema 5010's biggest competition in the under-$3000 price bracket is the Panasonic PT-AE7000. The AE7000 is a 2,000 lumen, 300,000:1 contrast, full HD 3D 1080p projector that, like the 5010, is built around LCD technology. Both projectors are built for home theater, and a darkened room will bring out their best performance.

In terms of image quality, the 5010 and the AE7000 are remarkably similar. The picture on screen is clear, sharp, and high in contrast. Color accuracy on both machines is excellent, and neither required much adjustment. The differences are mostly subtle. Try to keep this in mind as you read; some differences sound bigger on paper.

Light output. The most dramatic differences between the two projectors relate to brightness. The AE7000's brightest mode is called Dynamic, and it measured 1685 lumens on our test sample. The Home Cinema 5010's brightest mode, also called Dynamic, pumps out over 2700 lumens. In terms of color accuracy, the two are about equal; both modes sacrifice color accuracy in the interest of more brightness. If you need a projector for living room use, the Home Cinema 5010's extra light output may be beneficial.

In Cinema mode, the AE7000 produces 526 lumens to the 5010's 827 lumens. In a darkened theater, the AE7000 is the perfect choice for a 100" to 120" screen, where extra brightness would harm rather than help. If you want a really large screen, though, the Home Cinema 5010 can light up a 140" diagonal 1.3 gain screen without sacrificing any color or contrast performance.

Contrast. When it comes to black level, the two projectors are functionally tied. The AE7000 closes down to a blacker black, but this only appears on a solid black screen. If there is anything else in the image, even just a field of stars, the iris opens up enough that the two projectors have the same black level. As far as dynamic range is concerned, the AE7000 appears to have a slight advantage, with the picture appearing more three-dimensional in some scenes.

Color. Once calibrated, the AE7000 and the Home Cinema 5010 are nearly identical in terms of color. The AE7000's red is more strongly saturated thanks to its red-rich lamp, but the two are otherwise evenly matched. Out of the box, the AE7000 is a little warmer than the 5010, which appears slightly green in comparison.

Sharpness and clarity. In some scenes, the AE7000 looked a touch sharper than the Home Cinema 5010, though this may simply be the result of the AE7000's incrementally higher contrast. Blu-ray movies on either projector look superb, and this difference between them is only observable when the two projectors are set up side by side. There is also a touch less digital noise on the 5010, especially in mid-tones.

3D performance. There are a number of factors which determine 3D quality, and each projector has a few in its favor. Both projectors use 480Hz LCD panels. The AE7000 has less crosstalk, but neither projector shows excessive crosstalk to begin with. The AE7000 also has less flickering instability in its image, which can be distracting when there are large fields of a solid color. The AE7000's Frame Interpolation system works in 3D, while the Home Cinema 5010's system does not. The Home Cinema 5010 is brighter than the AE7000, and 3D brightness (or lack thereof) can contribute to the headache some people get when watching 3D. If you are using a large screen (120" to 140") and don't want to change image sizes to use 3D, the 5010's extra brightness could be helpful.

Placement flexibility. Both the 5010 and the AE7000 have zoom lenses of at least 2.0:1 and both horizontal and vertical lens shift. The 5010 has a slightly longer zoom range (2.1 versus 2.0) and an incrementally better horizontal lens shift (45% in either direction instead of 25%), but the AE7000 has powered zoom and focus while the 5010 has manual controls for those adjustments. The AE7000 supports anamorphic lenses and has a Lens Memory feature to zoom the picture up and down for a 2.4:1 screen, while the 5010 does not support anamorphic lenses and lacks this feature.

Connectivity. The AE7000 has three HDMI ports to the 5010's two. If you opt for the 5010e model, WirelessHD is a feature that's not available on the AE7000.

Special features. The AE7000 has a suite of tools meant to make calibration easy, including split screen adjust and a waveform monitor. The 5010 does not have any equivalent features. Both projectors have frame interpolation systems as well as some form of smart sharpening -- Panasonic calls it Detail Clarity, while Epson calls it Super Resolution. Both systems are effective. We noticed slightly more video delay when using the Home Cinema 5010's frame interpolation system on High than when using the equivalent setting on the AE7000. If you like to run your frame interpolation system at full blast, it is worth considering. Finally, the 5010 has a split-screen feature, allowing the display of two sources simultaneously, while the AE7000 does not.

Reader Comments(59 comments)

Posted Jun 18, 2015 4:55:30 AM

By Todd

While your experience is unfortunate.....mine is exactly the opposite. Flawless performance for the same time time period and the quality of the picture is still stunning after 1200 hours on the original bulb.

I would buy this projector over and over again.

An amazing product.....I feel sorry that you've had difficulty....but I've read your same post all over the Internet and felt that those of us with great experiences needed to respond to you.

Posted Mar 5, 2015 10:46:13 AM

By Rob Friedrichs

I have had my 5010 for less than three years, and in that time Epson has replaced it twice due to catastrophic failure. After the second replacement unit, I knew the original warranty was about to expire so I begged Epson to extend the warranty given the problems we had already experienced. They refused, but assured me that this was a quality product and that I had just experienced "a run of bad luck". Well, that bad luck streak has continued since the projector malfunctioned again this weekend. For those keeping up with the story, that is now 3 separate units of this "quality product" that have gone out in less than three years. And since the original warranty has expired, Epson is unwilling to do anything to make it right. Almost $3,000 and three years after purchase, I now have a very expensive paperweight hanging from my ceiling. DO NOT BUY THIS PROJECTOR!!! It is obviously a lemon, and Epson will not make it right.

Posted Jul 17, 2014 1:07:54 PM

By Robert

I've read people's comments regarding customer support, and some bad experiences. That's not my experience. I've had my 5010 since 4-12 (2 months out of warranty!). The auto shutter (lens cover) stopped working. CS was great! They sent me a firmware update. I loaded it, and machine totally shut down, going into SERVICE MODE (2 red flashing lights). I called CS, and upon me e mailing the CS rep my purchase receipt, he noted that although my unit was 3 months out of warranty he wanted to help me. He IMMEDIATELY offered to send me a replacement unit, free to me, including return shipping of my defective unit. Yes, I did shower then with kindness Yes, I was honest with him that my unit was out of warranty. Yes, I was required to give a CC hold of $2100 until they get the defective unit returned.

Maybe I was just lucky, and talked to a GREAT CS rep (many thanks Feenix!). 2 business days shipping, and return shipping prepaid by Epson. I could not be more pleased

I would like to think that being nice, talking to CS honestly, without a sense of "entitlement", and being respectful goes a LONG WAY towards getting assistance, and them actually WANTING to help.

Posted May 20, 2013 1:03:58 PM

By Ziad TAbbara

I have purchased epson 5010e projector and fine for a week or two, I went to turn it on, and the fan came on real strong but the lamp never did come on. Then the lens cap closed and the unit turned off and the red check lamp light lit up. What does this means ? Is it the lamp is burned ! Please advice !

Posted Mar 26, 2013 12:45:17 AM

By dee604

ive had my 5010 for 6 months now... ive put 1000 hours on the lamp... i can only say great things about it... picture is sharp , color is great ... 3d is really bright... for 2d brightness living room mode or dynamic is overkill...cinema mode is plenty bright... maybe after 4000 hours the living room mode will get some use... ive owned a few panny projectors (pt-ae700, pt-ax100, pt-ae2000) and this epson 5010 is by far the best one ive had

however yesterday my picture started flickering ... first i thought it was a faulty hdmi cable but it shows up on all inputs... am i looking at a lamp thats about to die ?? anyone else had a similar issue ??

Posted Feb 11, 2013 8:15:13 PM

By Paul H

I chose the 5010 over the BenQ W7000 for one main reason, and that was lamp replacement cost. I'm totally happy with the Epson 5010, I've had it 8 months now, the stock lamp is at 1000 hours and I'm not noticing much in image quality degradation at all - mind you I'm running ECO mode 90% of the time. This is my first PJ purchase ever, and I'm satisfied with my choice. 3D is great, with some - but nondistracting - ghosting issues. Best bang for the buck, a great investment IMHO. Oh, and customer service was great when I requested a firmware update. Kudos to EPSON!

Posted Feb 6, 2013 7:23:16 PM

By Derreck

I bought a 5010 in March of 2012, last year and have had nothing but problems with it since. The first projector I ordered arrived, and after watching a couple of movies on it noticed a spot being projected in the lower left hand corner. I called Epson and they were great about it. They sent a replacement, and that projector seemed to work fine for a week or two, and then one evening I went to turn it on, and the fan came on real strong but the lamp never did come on. Then the lens cap closed and the unit turned off and the red check lamp light lit up. Again, Epson sent me a new one. Fast forward to now.. I have had five projectors sent to me from Epson, all brand new ones, and all have had the same issue. I am now getting my money back from Epson. Great picture, but not so great build quality.

Posted Jan 21, 2013 1:03:38 PM

By Rajeev H

After about two weeks of usage the picture started showing up lighter/duller than usual and would take a few minutes before picture became normal. Now after about three weeks of use picture does not show up at all and the red light indicating faulty blub flashes. Epson sent me a replacement bulb, but it did not make any difference. Since the product is covered under warranty, Epson will replace the product, but wants a deposit. If the problem keeps happening, I will have to bear the cost of mounting the projector to the ceiling each time (i.e until I get a different brand ).

Customer service doesn't care -

Posted Dec 31, 2012 3:28:24 PM

By tom lavoie

Epson got me. Epson 8350 have gone through three bulbs in 2 years. Got two free replacements. Last bulb lasted 1063 hours even tho rated at 4,000. Epson this is corporate dishonesty, shame on you. I'm going to buy another projector but not an Epson because of your dishonesty.

Posted Sep 4, 2012 7:34:02 PM

By Rob

When I can watch a 144" dia in OLED for under 2k I will consider something besides a projector. A Projector is easy to move and easy to replace. How much would one of those OLED things cost and how many bulbs can I buy? If the 2k projector craps out after 5 years who cares? If the 10k OLED craps out in 5 years I would be [censored]! Anyway, I usually give the projector to one of the kids when it needs a new bulb and I get a new one. Planning on a 3d projector this year and the 5010 has caught my eye. I may actually spend more than 2k this year we will see. Before you think about a high dollar screen been using walmart tshirt material for 6 years now two different installs costs about 3$ to 5$ for a screen spent more money in thumbtacks than material.

Posted Aug 31, 2012 12:10:37 PM

By Ron Brunet

This forum is all great but does not mention the cost of replacing the lamp bulb on the 5010 which is $300.00 after 4000hrs of use. Not sure if it would be more feasible to get a 72" OLED 3D TV instead. I heard the new ones coming out do not need 3D glasses and they can also be swithed from 2D and 3D in any mode. They are also making them less 4mm thick and are fully wireless compatible with all the techno crap and are rated past 400,000hrs.

Check out the new OLED T.V.'s We’ve seen them before with small sizes and high prices but this year OLED TVs are set to make a big splash with several reasonably priced large screen HDTVs using the technology hitting shelves this year from LG. Lets take a closer look at this exciting display technology and run down why its getting so much attention.

To start with we’ve got to differentiate between OLED and the LED displays that are already commonplace. They may sound similar, but theres a big difference. the ‘O’, which stands for ‘organic’ makes all the difference.

In LED screens you require back-lighting but in an OLED display each organic cell emits its own light so we no longer need any back-light. This means screens can be much more thin and light weight. For example, LG has a 55” OLED TV on its way to stores which is only 4mm thick! Thats about the thickness of three stacked credit cards. Whats more, the lack of back-lighting means your OLED can be nearly borderless with the picture extending almost right to the edge.

This technology isn’t just going to effect the size and shape of screens though. The responsiveness is also much quicker than your run of the mill LED TV - over a thousand times quicker. That means you’ll always get super sharp detail, even with fast motion video.

The OLED system also means better contrast control. Since each cell is its own light source, we can achieve localized dimming and extreme contrast ratios with deep blacks and vibrant whites at the same time. We can now have true black pixels.

Try taking any other TV in a dark room. See the screen when the picture is supposed to be black? It doesn’t look quite black, does it? More like dark grey. It still glows a little. If you had an OLED screen you wouldn’t see anything. Just blackness. This may sound like a little thing but it really does make a lot of difference. It means everything looks the best it can with all the sharpness and depth it deserves.

Really OLED technology is poised to improve every aspect of new TVs. Size, weight, form factor, contrast, colour and even speed. Its worth paying attention to. Chances are, once you see one of the new OLED TVs in action you won’t be able to look at your old HDTV the same way again.

So after reading this check out the new OLEDS and see if it would be more feasible than replacing $300.00 bulbs every 4000hrs. T.V. are getting better by the year. I gigure in about 5 more years technology will have quadrupled in t.v's and then these OLEDS will be out of date. Imagine a t.v. built into your entire wall as thin as tinfoil in fact your entire wall could be a t.v. and it would seem like you were looking outside. You could have billions of different color manipulations and actually see light reflect off a grain of salt. It would be so real that you could almost walk into a movie or game thinking it is and bump back from your wall. The future is coming folks and projectors will be out and nonexistent.

Posted Aug 30, 2012 11:00:40 AM

By chris morgan

I`ve noticed when I turn the power switch off manually on my model 8100 (epson) It more then triples the life of the lamp. Yes I do still agree with u epson is not exactly the benchmark in lamp life but I got no complaints about the picture beautifull

Posted Aug 15, 2012 1:05:42 PM

By Scott S

I built a 100% light controlled theater room to accommodate a 160” wide screen. I want to use a transparent acoustic screen (center stage XD). My guess is the loss of light due to the av screen and given the screen size will force me to operate in the “living room” mode. Does anyone know if this mode can be tweaked (using the advanced color adjustments) to achieve good color accuracy and dynamic range? I will need about 1300 lumens. I’ve had projectors that did not have good blacks and would hate to be in that position again. Also, any comments to brand of av screen would be appreciated

Posted Jul 21, 2012 7:19:53 PM

By DonF

I purchased my 5010 a few weeks ago. I replaced a 8100 with this new projector. The picture is amazing. I also project 35mm polarized 3D at home and the 3D from the 5010 rivals the 35mm images from my 35mm projector using a 1600 watt xenon bulb. I'm very happy with the Epson 5010. Life is good!

Posted Jul 16, 2012 2:25:35 AM

By teampj

I have this projector bulbs burn out under 800 hours. no exceptions as of yet, Epson needs to get it together they are ripping off way too many people. The first bulb burnt our at 560hours the 2nd burnt out at 473hours the third burnt out at 721hours.

Posted Jun 18, 2012 10:14:16 AM

By Joe Score

I suggest using LCD projectors versus DLP projectors like Benq. The DLP guys say they have elimated the "rainbow" effect but I still see this on new DLP projectors using one DLP chip. Remember you may not be the only person to watch your projector. Thanks, Joe

Posted May 20, 2012 5:30:18 AM

By Jim

Posted Apr 22, 2012 10:57:52 PM

By Hardcore

It is mentioned in the review that "The 5010 takes longer to start up than previous Epson projectors by a few seconds". How long are we talking here for total start-up time?

I'm considering replacing my Optoma HD33 with a 5010 largely because the HD33's 2+ min start-up time drives me nuts! It was something never mentioned in any review of that unit, so I never thought to inquire. Now, I'm making sure things like start-up time are acceptable BEFORE I buy.

Posted Mar 18, 2012 9:55:10 AM

By Mike

I am struggling between the 5010, AE7000 and the BenQ7000. The BenQ utilizes DLP tech vs. the LCD tech. My installer suggested the BenQ product, but it seems that a lot of folks are leaning toward the other two. Maybe the BenQ is too new to get a lot of the feedback I see here. It's going in a dark home theater room. Any suggestions/input?

Posted Mar 12, 2012 1:08:25 PM

By Priska Huelelr

Hi there thanks for all the comment, my epson 5010 coming this Wednesday. I am deciding on this projector because I like the 2D-3D conversions so I can watch my 2D to 3D because 3D blu ray much expensive then 2d blu ray, that's why I choose epson 5010 and also the lens closet itself when we turn it out is also the other difference so we won't get to much dust when we don't use it. Did any body know how is turn the conversion from 2D to 3D? Thank you

Posted Feb 13, 2012 2:42:56 PM

By Yusuf

Posted Feb 1, 2012 8:23:29 AM

By SupaSte

Hi, do you know what the uk or European version of this projector is, is it the Eh tw6000 and does it have any substantial differences apart from the colour. Does the euro version have lens shift and auomatic lens cover. Thanks in advance for any help.

Posted Jan 12, 2012 2:26:02 AM

By Triller

I have the same question as "Sam from Canada"; hopefully, someone will answer the two of us.

I also want to fill a 140" diagonal unity-gain (1.0) white screen fm a max lens-to-screen distance of 13'. Is this possible with the 5010 and can high-fidelity color with good blacks be achieved with the 5010 at the specified distance & screen size?

My goal is to see a marked improvement over my BenQ 10000 single-chip DLP which I max out with a very satisfying picture at 110" dia.

Posted Jan 9, 2012 8:06:34 AM

By tanman1975

Thank you so much for your review. I just got my 3010 during Thanksgiving, and was agonizing over whether to upgrade to the 5010 to improve the blacks. Now it look like it would have been a waste of money to do so.

Posted Jan 6, 2012 1:53:08 PM

By XZOTIK

I own an Optoma H31(Ceiling Mounted) DLP a relly good projector in its day, and still is doing well in my family room(lots of sunlight).Its on an 84in Elite Hi Def Gray fixed screen 12ft away.I am looking for an upgrade and considering the fallowing projectors...what do you guys think.

1)Epson 3010 2)Optoma HD33 3)Panasonic AR100U 4)ViewSonic Pro8200

Posted Jan 3, 2012 10:50:18 AM

By Troyyap

I purchased the 3010 then looked at these reviews. Then decided maybe for the money it would be better to get the 5010. I did so. However, I'm not sure who writes these reviews, but they are way way way off. I put the two machines side by side and saw no differences between the two. I tried to look for something, anything, but nothing. Besides the extras like 2d to 3d conversion and auto shut lens. The difference was not noticeable. 3010 has a contrast of 40,000 to 1 and 5010, 200,000 to 1. ? We could not see the difference. We are wondering who writes these reviews. Reviews are to be impartial to bias, please remember that...

Posted Dec 26, 2011 8:25:17 PM

By Big Al

After reading for some time on both sites, isn't it obvious that PC and PR are favouring different camps ?

I will only take their critics and see how that impact your requirement. Also depending on what deals you are getting, that will greatly impact the decision. In my part of the globe, Espon is consistently 15% more expensive than Panny (HK). So it is no brainer to me.

Posted Dec 25, 2011 11:05:52 AM

By Stunko

Wait a minute -- this Epson is rated as a 2400 ANSI lumen machine by its manufacturer, yet can "pump out" a whopping 2700 lumen of light? In other words, 300 ANSI more than the stated rating? Must be the first-ever this has happened in the world of projectors.

Posted Dec 12, 2011 11:53:28 AM

By Saad B.

I ordered a 5010e last week and hope to have it before this weekend. I was able to get 2 pairs of 3D glasses for free plus a significant rebate from an official online reseller, so I'm really happy about the deal.

How was the Wireless HD performance? You mentioned that line of sight is irrelevant but did you try it across a wall? I plan to install the projector in my HT room in the basement but expect to bring it upstairs (one floor above) in the living room when I'm having friends over to watch a game. Should I expect any issues? Some people also complained about the time it takes for the wireless HDMI to do the handshake and start displaying a picture (Up to 40 seconds), is this something you have experienced as well?

Posted Dec 9, 2011 1:32:21 PM

By MyProjectorLamps

Fantastic review of this Epson Home Cinema projector for movie and home theater usage. We love this projector! We use it all the time for movie nights for our staff and also have an image display on a loop in our offices in Florida. This projector has a short throw range, a bright [edited by PC] lamp and is durable despite a couple bumps and one accidental two foot drop.

Posted Dec 8, 2011 5:30:13 PM

By Romel

Thanks a million for your response, it's really appreciated. I always enjoy Projector Central's reviews, which are very informative, e.g. mentioning that the Epson was put in eco mode while the Panasonic stayed in high lamp mode to properly compare the two.

This bit of information made me realize just how much of a lumens advantage the Epson has, and how that advantage provides an extra 1000 hours of bulb life while still maintaining the same pop to its picture as the Panasonic in high lamp mode.

As far as the 5010's black level and contrast performance vs the AE7000's is concerned, I concluded "that the Epson has better midrange performance than the Panny" when you said the AE7000 had better blacks when the screen went totally black but lost that advantage when there was any light introduced to the scene. I took that as the Epson having better dynamic range.

After reading your review again, it appears your evaluation demonstrates that the Panasonic has the better auto-iris, where it can close down better than the Epson to produce better blacks, but also open enough to also have better dynamic range than the Epson 5010.

Past reviews made me realize that when a projector had blacker blacks and better contrast when there were moderate to high light content in scenes than in darker scenes, that projector had excellent dynamic range (i.e. midrange)or as I like to call it the best powerband for watching movies. That's what I want in a projector, because most content in movies are not dark scenes. A projector that does dark scenes really well with excellent black performance, but still demonstrate great dynamic range is hard to beat.

Also, I understand that "the performance of previous models in no way affects the performance of current models...). I mentioned the Epson 8700 vs the Panny AE4000 because the Epson had blacker blacks in darker scenes but the Panny had blacker blacks when light was introduced to a scene. I used this past review to simply demonstrate the contradiction in your review of the newer Epson and Panasonic when it came to dynamic range, but as I said, now I believe your review simply highlights the advantage the Panasonic has when it comes to its auto iris without specifically stating it.

I guess the Panny must have the better auto iris when you consider both projectors use the same generation D9 LCD panels. Otherwise, it would be hard for me to believe Panasonic can get better black level and contrast performance than the Epson, especially when you consider Epson created the D9 LCD panels.

Finally, a reviewer from another site posted pictures of the Epson and the Panasonic and in those pictures it was clear to me which projector had the best blacks and contrast....the Epson. I asked my wife which pictures looked the best (between the two projectors) from the posted pictures and she picked the Epson every time. Mind you that my wife had no clue why I was asking the questions about picture quality...i.e. contrast performance etc. Reading your review just confused me on how the Panasonic could have better contrast and black level performance after seeing the difference in posted pictures for myself.

I look forward to future PC reviews, especially that of the new Mits HC7800.

Posted Dec 6, 2011 2:31:08 PM

By Mojo

When two projectors fall within a hair's bredth of each other in performance, it's time to look at other factors to help you decide which way to go.

Build quality, repair history (how often does this manufacturers' item break down?) and customer service are also important factors that, at some point, might end up being MORE important than picture quality!

Can you compare the Epson and Panasonic in these regards?

Posted Dec 6, 2011 10:56:45 AM

By BTUser

"As a 3010 owner, I've been quite disappointed with the lag performance on that projector (60+ms)... As such a simple yet critical measure, I hope you'll take this to heart and make input lag testing a standard part of your review test array."

Posted Dec 5, 2011 10:33:56 AM

By Bill Livolsi

Our head-to-head testing is always performed with the two projectors' lumen outputs set as close together as possible. This allows us to evaluate dynamic range and black level without having to consider differences in light output. In this test, we were able to set the AE7000 to its Cinema mode (526 lumens) and the 5010 to its Cinema mode using the Eco lamp setting (628 lumens). The two projectors were indistinguishable from a brightness standpoint -- a 100-lumen difference under these conditions is not visible to the human eye.

At these settings, the AE7000 had deeper black levels on a pure black screen, but the two projectors' black levels were very close after that with a slight (very slight) edge to the AE7000. Why you "have to conclude that the Epson has better midrange performance than the Panny" is something I don't understand -- especially since my only claim was that "the AE7000 appears to have a slight advantage, with the picture appearing more three-dimensional in some scenes." Furthermore, the performance of previous models in no way affects the performance of current models, especially when the projectors in question have been redesigned as completely as the AE7000 and Home Cinema 5010 have been.

Both projectors are using the latest generation D9 LCD panels, so the notion that one projector's dynamic range (which is largely a function of the panels) is going to blow the other one out of the water is a little strange. Contrast differences, as I saw them, are subtle. Very few people even have theaters dark enough to truly appreciate the performance of these projectors, so a slight difference in black level should not have a significant impact on most folks' purchasing decisions.

At the end of the day, our job as reviewers is to point out the differences as we see them. We are in a position to evaluate projectors that most people have not yet seen, in an environment that lends itself to side-by-side testing. I can only account for observations that I have made and not the comments of other reviewers, but I stand by my comments. Either projector would make a wonderful addition to a home theater, and which one you choose should largely come down to which feature set you prefer. I would be proud to recommend either one.

Posted Dec 5, 2011 7:52:19 AM

By Jerry

Bill, Thanks for the review on the 5010. I bought a 3010 about 3 weeks ago and am having two issues that are causing me to reconsider my purchase. I have a light controlled theatre enviroment and am displaying onto a 1.1 gain 120" screen from 14'. First, The 3010 has MAJOR lag while gaming, to the point that it is unuseable for that purpose. Second, the 3D picture seems too dim, wife was complaining of headaches after watching one 3D movie. You touched on the 3d brightness of the 5010 but a test of the gaming lag on the 5010 would be super helpful. That improvement alone might cause me to change projectors.

Posted Dec 3, 2011 10:32:59 PM

By dupin67

Posted Dec 2, 2011 11:06:25 PM

By Brian Miller

Bill, I'm so impressed by your comments. It's so refreshing to see how ProjectorCentral really takes its reader's feedback into account! I'm looking forward to seeing more input lag measurements, and thanks again for the 5010 review, it was excellent.

Posted Dec 2, 2011 5:17:21 PM

By Romel

Bill, I can understand how two different reviewers of two different projector can come to two opposite conclusions concerning the projectors contrast and black level performance when the differences between the two projectors are extremely close. The reviewers differences can then be chalked up to "two sets of eyes, looking at two different sets of projectors in two different rooms" yada yada yada...

But when one reviewer states the Epson has a very visible advantage in blacklevel performance and that the Panasonics is simply no match for the Epson in this area...it's hard to understand how the other reviewer can state the Panasonic is just as good or better in this regard. When the difference seems to be this clear, how can it then be simply chalked up as a difference in opinion? Either one projoctor is better in one area than the other or not.

Also, it's hard too understand how projector central (PC), when comparing the Epson 8700UB against the Panasonic AE4000 stated the Epson had better black level and contrast performance in darker scenes, but that the Epson lost it's advantage in the lighter scenes, and that the Epson actually wasn't as good as the Panny in scenes with significant light levels. PC basically said most scenes in movies had average to high light levels so the Panny would out perform the Epson in Blacklevel and contrast performance because of this. Basially, PC said the Panny midrange performance was better.

Now, it appears PC is stating the opposite. The Panny is said to show blacker blacks when the scene goes total black, but when a little light is added to the scene (like stars in the night) the black level performance of the two projectors are even. So, I'll have to conclude that the Epson has better midrange performance than the Panny, which will allow the Epson to show blacker blacks and better contrast when there is significat light in the scene. Basically, the Epson 5010 has the same advantage over the Panny AE7000 as the Panny AE4000 had over the Epson 8700UB, but yet, it's stated that the Panny AE7000 has better contrast and has the more depth too it's picture although its midrange isn't as strong than the Epson....now that really doesn't make any sense.

Seams to me that some are biased towards the Panny and the other are biased towards the Epson....I guess some other party will have to weighin on this to make things a little clearer.

Posted Dec 2, 2011 11:47:08 AM

By DavidK442

Bill, thanks very much for the response. I had thought that comments left on this site simply fell into a void. Nice to be proven wrong. And of course, thanks for the review. Not what I had hoped, but as you said it reconfirms that the performance of these two projectors is very similar. I hope you still have one of them hanging around for comparison when the JVC RS-45 finally rolls into town.

Posted Dec 2, 2011 11:24:05 AM

By Bill Livolsi

Richard - As for 120Hz, I only mention it because someone always asks if I don't. And we're still getting spun up on input lag, so please be patient. I am aware that gaming is not a niche market; I am a gamer myself and fully appreciate that lots of people play video games. However, if we're going to include these measurements, we're going to do it right. If you'd like to discuss this further, shoot me an email at bill@projectorcentral.com and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

DavidK - We're two different people with two different sets of eyes, looking at two different sets of projectors in two different rooms. The difference is exceedingly subtle. There's room for disagreement.

user - We saw a pre-production sample of the 3010, and then we also saw a full-production model. Both samples showed the same artifacts.

Bert - see my comment to David, above. Also please keep in mind the opening comment to the comparison section, wherein I state that the differences are quite subtle. You really can't go wrong either way.

Brian - please see my response to Richard, above.

DigiMagic - The 5010 has two image modes for 3D, called "3D Dynamic" and "3D Cinema." They are approximately as bright as their 2D counterparts. Lumen measurements of 3D modes are worse than useless--they are outright deceptive. They measure something that the user will never see. A lumen measurement doesn't inform the user about how much light is lost due to the glasses. Meanwhile, a measurement through the glasses doesn't tell the user about how the glasses affect the user's perception of brightness, which is a significant factor.

Posted Dec 1, 2011 11:28:46 AM

By Brian Miller

I agree with the comments about the need for input lag measurements in projector reviews. Over half (55%) the US population plays video games; that's over 170 million people. The average gamer age is 37! Gaming is not a small, niche market of youths. A critical gaming parameter such as input lag is important for a very large segment of the adult population and a great number of your readers.

Posted Dec 1, 2011 10:54:20 AM

By Bert

I just don't understand how this review can be so drastically different from the projectorreviews.com review of the 5010. I'm really confused and perplexed in regards to purchasing either the 5010 or the AE7000.

Posted Nov 30, 2011 8:51:53 PM

By Javier Peters

Richard, 120hz is relevant for video games and to an extent movies as well. For those of us running a 60 hz input (almost all of us) when connecting a PC to the projector, 60hz = 60 frames per second maximum. So no matter how many frames per second our computer is capable of outputting, the screen will only refresh at a max of 60FPS.

A lot of games feel smoother with 120hz and displays capable of receiving 120hz signals typically have less input lag, which some may argue is best aspect of a 120hz capable display.

For movies, 120 is equally divisible by 24. As most of us run our projectors at 60hz when playing movies from a computer or HTPC, and since movies are recorded at ~24 fps, 60/24=2.5 and thus we use 2:3 pulldown to round the framerate to 29.9 fps, then show that frame twice a second. This can cause judder which some people notice more than others. With 120hz you can display the same frame 5 times a second evenly, without using pulldown to convert the frame rate to a higher rate that is equally dividable by the hz.

To summarize, 120hz will help the most when you are a user who connects a PC to the projector and enjoys PC Gaming as well as watching movies without pulldown.

Unfortunately no current projector can accept a 120hz signal so I dont knock epson for not including this feature. I do wish they would have pioneered it however as there are plenty of computer monitors out now that can accept 120hz.

I do not believe that this current HDMI revision supports a 120hz signal @ 1080p. The projector would have to have a dual link DVI port or a display port input.

Posted Nov 30, 2011 7:20:36 PM

By DavidK442

How can two reviewers, comparing the same projectors side by side, come to opposite conclusions on something as fundamental as black level and contrast. I was hoping this review would confirm the strengths and weaknesses of the AE7000 vs the 5010 but instead the waters are even more murky. Argh!!!

Posted Nov 30, 2011 4:48:51 PM

By Richard Slaughter

Two comments on your review - First, you said, "The 5010 supports all of the HDMI 1.4 3D signal types (frame packing, side-by-side, and top and bottom) but does not support 120Hz from a PC source." That's technically true, however, is that relevant? I'm using a 3010 with a PC and regularly view 3d source. All the video playback software I'm familiar with is happy using side-by-side, over-under, or frame packed 3d without a problem, and my gaming software (iz3d or tridef) is the same. This all applies to PCs with ATI video cards -- I'm not 100% familiar with Nvidia's solution, but my understanding is that 3dtv play enables hdmi 1.4 solutions for video and gaming as well, so again, no 120hz support is really no loss.

Also, I'm a bit disappointed in one aspect of your review. Unless I'm overlooking it, there's no test of the projector's input lag. It's an extremely quick and simple test, but provides critical information to owners with a desire to game on the systems - which is a fairly large sgement of the population.

As a 3010 owner, I've been quite disappointed with the lag performance on that projector (60+ms), so I was watching with some interest (though admittedly low expectations) to see if Epson corrected that issue in the next step up their lineup.

As such a simple yet critical measure, I hope you'll take this to heart and make input lag testing a standard part of your review test array.

Posted Nov 30, 2011 4:33:23 PM

By Dave Nelson

The one thing that wasn't mentioned about the 5010 was it's 'motorized pixel alignment' ability mentioned in the product sheet. What exactly does this do ? and how effective was it in use ?

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